An image forming apparatus stores a settings keyword, receives a Probe message including a search keyword from a client apparatus via a network, retrieves the search keyword from the Probe message, determines whether or not the search keyword from the Probe message matches the stored settings keyword, and transmits a ProbeMatch message to the client apparatus if the search keyword from the Probe message matches the stored settings keyword. Further, the image forming apparatus stores setting data, searches for another image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting the setting data based on a keyword search using WS-Discovery, requests the setting data from the specified another image forming apparatus, generates new setting data based on the setting data received from the another image forming apparatus, and stores the new setting data.
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1. An image forming system, comprising: an image forming apparatus connected to a network; and a client apparatus connected to the network, wherein the client apparatus comprises: a first communication processing unit configured to transmit a Probe message including a search keyword to the image forming apparatus and to receive a ProbeMatch message from the image forming apparatus; and wherein the image forming apparatus comprises: a storage device configured to store a settings keyword; a second communication processing unit configured to receive the Probe message from the first communication processing unit; a message analysis unit configured to retrieve the search keyword from the Probe message; and a keyword determination unit configured to determine whether or not the keyword in the Probe message matches the keyword stored in the storage device; wherein the second communication processing unit is further configured to, if the search keyword from the Probe message matches the settings keyword stored in the storage device, transmit the ProbeMatch message to the first communication processing unit; wherein the Probe message includes an identifier that distinguishes the Probe message from a web service search performed using WS-Discovery; wherein the keyword determination unit is configured to determine whether or not the search keyword in the Probe message matches the settings keyword stored in the storage device if the Probe message includes the identifier; and wherein the second communication processing unit is configured to transmit the ProbeMatch message to the first communication processing unit when the image forming apparatus provides the web service specified in the Probe message.
An image forming system allows a client device to discover image forming apparatuses (e.g., printers, copiers) on a network using a modified WS-Discovery protocol. The client sends a "Probe" message containing a search keyword. The image forming apparatus, upon receiving this Probe message, checks if the search keyword matches its stored settings keyword. If there's a match, it sends a "ProbeMatch" message back to the client. The Probe message includes a special identifier to differentiate it from standard WS-Discovery web service searches. This identifier ensures the keyword matching is performed only for these special Probe messages. The image forming apparatus sends ProbeMatch when it provides the service specified in the Probe message.
2. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the Probe message and the ProbeMatch message each comprise a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message, and wherein the first communication processing unit and the second communication processing unit use a User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol (UDP/IP) for transmitting/receiving the SOAP message.
In the image forming system described, the "Probe" and "ProbeMatch" messages are formatted using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Communication between the client and image forming apparatus for these messages utilizes User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol (UDP/IP). This means the discovery process uses SOAP for message structure and UDP/IP for network transport.
3. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the search keyword retrieved from the Probe message comprises a keyword search condition, and wherein the keyword determination unit is configured to determine whether or not the keyword search condition matches the settings keyword stored in the storage device.
In the image forming system described where a client device discovers image forming apparatuses (e.g., printers, copiers), the search keyword sent in the "Probe" message represents a keyword search condition. The image forming apparatus then determines if this keyword search condition matches its stored settings keyword. Instead of a simple keyword match, the apparatus evaluates a search condition against its settings.
4. The image forming system according to claim 3 , wherein the keyword search condition includes a search expression including a keyword.
In the image forming system using a keyword search condition, as described in the previous claim, this condition can include a search expression containing a keyword. This allows for more complex searches, where the keyword is part of a broader expression that is evaluated by the image forming apparatus.
5. The image forming system according to claim 3 , wherein the keyword search condition includes at least one of “perfect match search”, “partial match search”, “prefix search”, and “suffix search”.
In the image forming system using a keyword search condition, as described in a previous claim, the keyword search condition can be one of the following: "perfect match search," "partial match search," "prefix search," or "suffix search." This allows the client to specify the type of keyword matching to be performed by the image forming apparatus.
6. An image forming apparatus search method using WS-Discovery, comprising: via a client apparatus connected to a network, transmitting a Probe message including a search keyword to an image forming apparatus connected to the network; via the image forming apparatus: receiving the Probe message from the client apparatus, retrieving the search keyword from the Probe message, determining whether or not the search keyword retrieved from the Probe message matches a settings keyword stored in the image forming apparatus, and transmitting a ProbeMatch message to the client apparatus if the search keyword retrieved from the Probe message matches the settings keyword stored in the image forming apparatus, wherein the Probe message includes an identifier that distinguishes the Probe message from a web service search performed using WS-Discovery.
An image forming apparatus search method utilizes WS-Discovery. A client device sends a "Probe" message containing a search keyword to an image forming apparatus on the network. The image forming apparatus receives this message, extracts the search keyword, and checks if it matches a stored settings keyword. If there's a match, it sends a "ProbeMatch" message back to the client. The Probe message contains an identifier distinguishing it from standard WS-Discovery web service searches.
7. The image forming apparatus search method according to claim 6 , wherein the Probe message and the ProbeMatch message each comprise a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message.
In the image forming apparatus search method, as described, the "Probe" and "ProbeMatch" messages are formatted using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). This defines the structure of the messages used in the discovery process.
8. The image forming apparatus search method according to claim 6 , wherein the search keyword retrieved from the Probe message comprises a keyword search condition, and wherein the determining whether or not the search keyword retrieved from the Probe message matches a settings keyword stored in the image forming apparatus comprises determining whether the keyword search condition matches the settings keyword stored in the storage device.
In the image forming apparatus search method, as described, the search keyword sent in the "Probe" message represents a keyword search condition. The image forming apparatus then determines if this keyword search condition matches its stored settings keyword. The matching process evaluates a conditional search term rather than a direct keyword comparison.
9. An image forming system, comprising: an image forming apparatus connected to a network; and another image forming apparatus connected to the network, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises: a first communication processing unit configured to transmit a Probe message including a search keyword requesting whether the another image forming apparatus has a function of transmitting setting data to the another image forming apparatus and receive a ProbeMatch message from the another image forming apparatus; an apparatus search unit configured to specify the another image forming apparatus that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message as the another image forming apparatus having the function of transmitting the setting data; a setting data request unit configured to transmit a request for the setting data to the another image forming apparatus that has transmitted the ProbeMatch message to the first communication processing unit; and a control unit configured to generate new setting data based on the setting data received via the setting data request unit, and to store the new setting data in the storage device; wherein the another image forming apparatus comprises: a storage device configured to store a settings keyword; a second communication processing unit configured to receive the Probe message from the first communication processing unit; a message analysis unit configured to retrieve the keyword from the Probe message; and a keyword determination unit configured to determine whether or not the search keyword requesting whether the another image forming apparatus has the function of transmitting the setting data retrieved from the Probe message matches the settings keyword stored in the storage device; wherein the second communication processing unit is further configured to, if the search keyword from the Probe message matches the settings keyword stored in the storage device, transmit the ProbeMatch message to the first communication processing unit.
An image forming system lets one image forming apparatus (e.g., printer A) discover another (e.g., printer B) and adopt its settings. Printer A sends a "Probe" message to printer B asking if it can share its settings. If printer B's stored keyword matches the probe, it replies with "ProbeMatch". Printer A identifies printer B as a source of setting data, requests and receives the data. Printer A then creates new setting data by adapting the received settings and stores it for use. Printer B checks its settings keyword against the Probe message’s keyword to determine if it should transmit the ProbeMatch message.
10. The image forming system according to claim 9 , wherein the settings keyword is configured to vary based on the type of the another image forming apparatus.
In the image forming system where one image forming apparatus adopts settings from another, as described in the previous claim, the settings keyword on the second image forming apparatus varies depending on its type. This allows for searches specific to certain types of image forming apparatuses (e.g. a color laser printer settings can be searched specifically).
11. The image forming system according to claim 9 , wherein, if two or more setting data are received via the setting data request unit, the control unit is configured to select the setting data having a largest number of the same setting items and to generate the new setting data by combining the selected setting data.
In the image forming system where one image forming apparatus adopts settings from another, if multiple sets of setting data are received, the receiving apparatus selects the set with the most matching setting items and combines it to generate new settings. This prioritizes setting data with the most relevant parameters for the new image forming apparatus.
12. The image forming system according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to select the setting data having the largest number of the same setting items for each of a plurality of categories.
In the image forming system where one image forming apparatus adopts settings from another, as described in claim 11, the receiving apparatus selects the setting data with the most matching setting items for each of several categories. Instead of selecting one set of settings overall, the apparatus makes selections specific to categories of settings.
13. The image forming system according to claim 11 , wherein, if one setting data of the two or more setting data does not include a setting item for a specific category and the other setting data of the two or more setting data includes the setting item for the specific category, the control unit is configured to select the other setting data for the specific category, irrespective of selecting which of the one setting data and the other setting data for any category other than the specific category.
In the image forming system where one image forming apparatus adopts settings from another, building on claim 11, if one setting data set lacks a setting item for a category while another does, the apparatus selects the data set with the setting, regardless of its overall score. This ensures completeness of setting data, even if a generally "better" setting data is otherwise selected.
14. The image forming system according to claim 9 , wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises: a display device configured to display a list of the another image forming apparatus specified by the apparatus search unit; and an input device configured to detect a user operation for selecting the another image forming apparatus from the list; and wherein the setting data request unit is configured to transmit the request for the setting data to the another image forming apparatus selected by the user operation via the input device.
In the image forming system where one image forming apparatus adopts settings from another, the system displays a list of discoverable image forming apparatuses on a display device. A user can then select an image forming apparatus from this list using an input device. The system then requests the setting data from the selected image forming apparatus.
15. The image forming system according to claim 14 , wherein the input device is configured to detect the user operation for selecting the another image forming apparatus from the list for each category.
In the image forming system where one image forming apparatus adopts settings from another, building on the previous claim, the user can select an image forming apparatus from the list separately for each setting category. This allows for fine-grained control over which image forming apparatus settings are adopted for different categories.
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March 28, 2011
July 2, 2013
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